Introduction - Trade (Vikings - Amber - Hansa - Decline of trade - Modern Trade) Naval Importance - References

The Baltic Sea has been at the center of life for the countries of North and Northeastern Europe for many centuries. It has provided not only a means of food but also an economic means of providing industry in the way of markets for fish, the shipbuilding industry, and trade industry. The Baltic has joined the countries around it into a market of trade and interaction between nations. It has also been the stage for conflicts between these same nations. Whether fighting for control of trade routes or to take new territory, the Baltic Sea has provided the arena in which many a battle took place. In the middle of the competition for trade and naval activities has been the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Although not mighty powers militarily or economically, these countries have long been used for their important and strategic locations on the eastern side of the Baltic.

In studying the Baltic it is helpful to focus on the main issues that dominated the region and were the forces that helped to shape history. Militarily the Baltic was an important key in conflicts between the empires of Northern European history. The Danes, Swedes, and Russians all played large roles in the conflicts throughout the sea. Trade was probably the biggest and historically most important aspect of the Baltic Sea. The waterway was the easiest way to move large supplies of goods to and from Scandinavia, the Baltic countries, and the Russian Empire.

The Baltic Sea has been the key to bringing northern Europeans together since mankind first learned to build ships and navigate upon the sea. Evidence of early travels throughout the sea can be seen by the various trade items found throughout the region, or in other areas of Europe. Hoards of precious metals such as silver, gold, and iron in the form if ingots, coins, tools and ornamental objects have been found all over the Baltic region. These hoards date as far back as the 8^th century and up to the 13^th century. (Hardh p.37-40) They are evidence of trade networks developed during the rise of the Viking Age. Many of these hoards have been found in the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The Vikings traveled throughout the Baltic, passing through the Baltic states as they traveled inland on the regions rivers, reaching as far as the Arab lands around the Black Sea and Constantinople. This is evident by the presence of many Arabian coins found in the hoards throughout the Baltic states. The finding of such hoards has lead to theories of the creation of a monetary system. The coins and larger ingots, brooches, pendants, and neck rings found indicate a need for varying values in order to pay for goods and services. (Hardh p.37-40) The highest concentration of finds has been on the Swedish island of Gotland. This is believed to be due to Gotland’s location between Sweden and the Baltic states, making it a large and wealthy trading port between Scandinavia and the Baltic states and Russia to the east. The lack of banks seems to be the most reasonable explanation for the hoards. To safeguard their wealth, people often buried it in secret locations, in some instances taking the secret to their grave. (Keys)

The Baltics have long been a source for the highly sought and prized amber. This fossilized pine resin became a major trade item all over Europe and as far away as the Middle East. The sea has long been the source for Baltic amber. As far back as prehistoric times people gathered amber washed up on the shore. Later, different methods were used to obtain it. These ranged from scooping it up in nets as it floated at sea, to riding through the coastal marshlands on horseback. Other methods were to use long poles or pikes to pry the amber loose from the sea floor and collect it as it rose to the surface. In more modern times dredging the seafloor and mining on land have become the main source for Baltic amber. No matter what method was used to collect it, the best concentrations of Baltic amber come from the Lithuanian and Kalingrad region.(Aber)

What has historically made the Baltic Sea such an integral part of Northern Europe is the ability to transport goods and allow mobility in an area unsuited for large-scale land travel. Control of the coast and ports became key struggles between the powers of Northern Europe. Denmark maintained an "island kingdom" from the thirteenth to the seventeenth century, which stretched from the Jutland peninsula to the Gulf of Riga.(Kirby p.111) The main strength of the Danes power over the Baltic was their control of shipping through the straits between Denmark and Sweden. Germans gained control over present day Latvia and part of Estonia. This was an important key to trade since the Baltic states were the gateway to the east for Northern Europe before roads or railroads were developed. The rivers of the Baltic states provided trade routes linking Northern Europe to Russia and also to the Black Sea, the Middle East, and to the Silk Road trade. Control of ports linking the Baltic to the East became a source of great wealth to the power that could control them.

With the rise of trade through the Baltic and the vast amounts of wealth being obtained from it, pirates and raiders became a problem to contend with. Protection from piracy became one of the reasons leading to the formation of the Hanseatic League. Another key reason for forming the league was to organize and control trade on the Baltic. Creation of the Hanseatic League started in the port of Lubeck around the twelfth century and quickly spread to many other trading centers around the Baltic.(Kirby p.114) The league was for the most part a confederation of German merchants and guilds intent on gaining from the large amount of wealth Baltic trade created. Not all members of the league were German towns, though. Gotland was a major trading port of the time, which the league realized and sought to take advantage of. Ports in the Baltic states, such as Riga and Reval (Tallin) were also seen as desirable due to their link to the East and for their vast resources.

The rise of the Hanse didn’t come about without opposition and struggle. Sweden and Denmark both felt this organized group of merchants weakening their control over Baltic trade. England and the Netherlands also had concerns, relying on resources and goods from the Baltic. Concern for keeping trade open and struggles for control lead to confrontations and treaties in order to maintain secure trade for the kingdoms around the Baltic. Alliances were created to counter the power of the Hanse. The league had strong political power and ties to the German Lords, along with a fleet of ships greater than most other Baltic kingdoms. This brought about treaties with England to maintain their ability to receive Baltic trade goods.(Kirby p.116) It also caused others, the Scandinavians, to join forces to compete with the Hanse.

Throughout the struggles for conquest and control of Baltic trade, the Baltic states were often caught in the middle. Livonia and Prussia were sources of vast amounts of resources like timber, grain, and furs and resented the German control over their ports and ability to trade with western Europe. They sought to have more control over their ports and to keep the Sea open to the trading ships from the west.(Kirby p.115) The politics of Prussia and Livonia, pressure from their neighbors, Poland, Lithuania, and Muscovy, and the rising power and control over Baltic lands by Poland allowed the interests of the Baltic ports to be asserted over the wishes of local rulers and the Hanseatic League.

During the mid-sixteenth century the Muscovy Company attempted to stop the Russians from trading with Riga and Reval by shifting trade in the eastern Baltic away from Livonian ports and center it in Viborg and Narva. This brought much resistance from Riga and Reval, who petitioned Lubeck to stop trade with Viborg and Narva without much luck. Later, the Livonians captured a fleet of ships loaded with goods bound for Narva. This resulted in a lawsuit in the High Court, which ruled in favor of Lubeck. Shipping was to remain open, although an oath was to be taken swearing that no military goods were to be supplied to the Russians.(Attman p.43) Trade with Narva, although contested by the Baltic ports, was seen by those in Lubeck as profitable and couldn’t afford not to trade with them or risk losing the business to other merchants. By trading directly with the Russians, the ports of Riga and Reval were cut out of the loop as middlemen and faced declines in their ability to earn wealth off the goods from the eastern lands.(Attman p.44)

With the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia is once again faced with the challenge of obtaining trade goods with limited access to the Baltic Sea. With independence of the Baltic states Russia’s harbor capacity diminished by over fifty percent.(Viitasalo p. 23) For the Baltic states this has been good news. Along with gaining their freedom, they also gained a major share of trade in and out of the Baltic and are a major link between the East and West. Russia will still be able to import goods through Baltic ports, although now it will require fees paid to the Baltic states and maintaining favorable political relations.(Viitasalo p.22) Competition among the ports of the Baltic states, Russia, and Finland will increase, but the Baltic states sit in position to gain the most from this. Finland’s ports don’t offer year round shipping and are further from the core of Russia and the surrounding countries. Russian ports can’t handle the quantities of goods required, and even if new ports are built, Russia may not have enough access to the sea to expand her harbor capacities to meet the needs. This leaves the Baltics in a good position with the infrastructure already in place. They can expand to meet growing needs; they are centrally located to easily deliver goods to Russia and her neighbors, and can operate virtually year round.

Throughout its history the Baltic Sea has played host to military confrontations of the kingdoms of Northern Europe. Since the Viking Age the Baltic has been the arena for conquest and domination. Whether it has been the Danes, Swedes, Russians, Poles, or Germans, there has long been a struggle for control in the Baltic. During the rise of trade in Northern Europe the Hanseatic League pioneered the use of warships to maintain order and control. Following this example, the empires around the Baltic realized the importance of the need for a strong maritime force to control holdings in the area and to provide safety to their homelands.

The kingdoms competing for control of the Baltic often fought one another, allied together to fight a common opponent, and then ended up fighting one another again. History of the area is full of naval battles between Denmark and Sweden, Sweden and Russia, and Denmark and Sweden against Russia.(Anderson) Involvement in the Baltic wasn’t just restricted to those countries with its borders on the sea. England, Spain, and the Dutch also played roles in the struggle for power and control. Their concerns weren’t necessarily territorial, rather they had a high stake in keeping the trade routes their countries depended on open and free.(Zins p.2) Throughout all of the fighting and alliances the role of the Baltic states was that of a bystander. Not possessing much strength of their own, they played little part in deciding their own fate. Rather, they were a key reason for most of the fighting. Their vital link as ports to the east were sought after by their stronger neighbors, while keeping them open and free was of great importance to others.

Until the modern age, although the naval battles were frequent and ongoing, the history of the Baltic has been mostly dominated by agreements and bargains struck in order to maintain the vital and highly profitable trade links between Eastern and Western Europe.

With the rise of Germany to power during the early part of the twentieth century the "normal" way of life on the Baltic changed. Controlling and keeping the trade routes open was no longer the goal. Germany’s presence in the Baltic was to disrupt and stop trade to the rest of Europe. Merchant ships weren’t spared or seen as neutral. They became the targets. German U-boats took control over the sea, disrupting the link between the east and the west.

With the independence of the Baltics form Soviet control the dynamics of naval power in the Baltic have shifted. The Soviet presence has been greatly reduced, while the newly independent countries of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have each developed and expanded their own naval capacities. Naval presence now, as in the past, seems to be a safety measure to ensure that the avenues of trade can’t be shut down or controlled as they were by Germany during World War II. For the newly independent states in the Baltic the presence of their own naval forces also plays the role of offering them a greater sense of security to maintain their long awaited freedom.

1. Anderson, R.C. NAVAL WARS IN THE BALTIC. London: Robert Stockwell Ltd., 1910

Good historical look at naval battles in the Baltic Sea from the 14^th century to the 19^th century. Very detailed about battles and not so much about the area in general but some useful information on the powers and control of the sea as a main trade route for the area.

2. Attman, Artur. The Struggle For Baltic Markets: Powers in Conflict 1558-1618. Goteborg: Berlings, Lund 1979

A lot of attention paid to trade through Narva during this time period. Short section on Livonian policy on the Narva trade, along with Swedish and Polish policies on the Narva trade. Also a good section on the competition for the Baltic markets.

 

3. Hardh, Birgitta. Silver in the Viking Age. Stockholm: Almquist & Wiksell International, 1996

Shows evidence of Viking trade to many areas of the Baltic, including areas around Riga. Good maps of Baltic Sea showing locations of archaeological evidence of Viking trade.

 

4. Kirby, David and Merja-Liisa Hinkkanen. The Baltic and the North Seas. London and New York: Routledge, 2000

Very good source of information on trade, trade routes, markets and the way of life living near the Baltic Sea. Good amount of information relating to the Baltic countries and how they fit into the larger picture of the Baltic Sea region.

5. Viitasalo, Mikko and Bo Osterlund. The Baltic-Sea of Changes. Helsinki: National Defence College, 1996

A modern text that looks at naval strategies and development in the Baltic today. Also some good information on modern trade in the region, along with nice diagrams and maps. This is another good primary source of information.

 

6. Zins, Henryk. England and the Baltic in the Elizabethan era. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1972

1. David Keys, "Viking Treasure Discovered After 11 Centuries Under the Floorboards, 9-4-2000, http://www.sightings.com/general3/treasure.htm (26 May 2001)